CH07 Qualitative Research

Question 1

define qualitative research

Answer 1

qualitative research:
- research whose findings are not subject to quantification or quantitative analysis
- conclusions are not based on precise, measurable statistics
- based on more subjective observations and analysis

eg. qualitative research could be used to examine the attitudes, feelings, and motivations of the heavy user

Question 2

define quantitative research

Answer 2

quantitative research:
- research that uses mathematical analysis
- typically research analysis is done using measurable, numeric standards

eg. quantitative research might be used to find statistically significant differences between heavy and light users

Question 3

although expenditures on qualitative research have slightly declined in the past few years, it is still used extensively. what is the reason for this?

Answer 3

1. qualitative research is usually much cheaper than quantitative research
2. it’s a good way to understand the motivations and feelings of consumers and their experience with a brand
3. qualitative research can improve the efficiency of quantitative research

Question 4

qualitative techniques involve what and results in what type of data?

Answer 4

qualitative techniques involve open-ended questioning and probing

the resulting data are rich, human, subtle, and often very revealing

Question 5

what are the limitations of qualitative research?

Answer 5

1. marketing successes and failures many times are based on small differences in attitudes or opinions about a marketing mix, and qualitative research does not distinguish those small differences as well as large-scale quantitative research does. however, qualitative research is sometimes able to detect problems that escape notice in a quantitative study
2. qualitative research is not necessarily representative of the population of interest to the researcher

Question 6

what is a focus group?

Answer 6

focus group: a group of 8-12 participants who are led by a moderator in an in-depth discussion on one particular topic or concept

Question 7

what is the goal of a focus group in marketing research?

Answer 7

the intent is to find out how they feel about a product, concept, idea, or organization; how it fits into their lives; and their emotional involvement with it

Question 8

what are group dynamics?

Answer 8

group dynamics: an interaction among people in a group

Question 9

define a focus group facility

Answer 9

focus group facility: a research facility consisting of a conference room or living room setting and a separate observation room with a one-way mirror or live audiovisual feed

Question 10

how are participants recruited for focus group?

Answer 10

2 traditional procedures are
- mall-intercept interviewing
- and random telephone screening

now, social media is used for recruitment

researchers normally establish criteria for the group participants

Question 11

what are the steps for conducting a focus group (exhibit 7.2)?

Answer 11

steps in conducting a focus group:
1. prepare for the group: select a focus group facility and recruit the participants
2. select a moderator and create a discussion guide
3. conduct the group
4. prepare the focus group report

Question 12

define a focus group moderator

Answer 12

focus group moderator: a person hired by the client to lead the focus group; this person should have a background in psychology or sociology or, at least, marketing

Question 13

a focus group moderator needs to have 2 sets of skills; what are they?

Answer 13

1. the moderator must be able to conduct a group properly
2. he or she must have good business skills in order to effectively interact with the client

Question 14

what are the key guidelines for conducting a focus group?

Answer 14

• show respect for respondents
• own the room—clear demonstration of invisible leadership
• speak clearly and loudly
• set expectations and gives all the industry disclosures
• ask short questions and actively listens
• move things along without rushing, curtailing tangents
• avoid “serial interviewing” (interviewing the first person, then the second, third, and so forth)
• show creativity and adaptability in the moment
• move from general to specific questions within a topic area
• create a safe opportunity for diverse opinions.
• handle both thought leaders and shy respondents with ease
• miss no opportunity to probe for additional information

Question 15

define a discussion guide

Answer 15

discussion guide: a written outline of topics to be covered during a focus group discussion

Question 16

list the 3 stages of a guide leading the discussion

Answer 16

1. rapport is established, the rules of group interactions are explained, and objectives are given
2. the moderator attempts to provoke intensive discussion
3. summarizing significant conclusions and testing the limits of belief and commitment

Question 17

the best way to avoid leading questions is to add balance to a question; list some examples of balance questions

Answer 17

eg. of balance questions:
- how satisfied or unsatisfied are you with available frozen pizzas?
- Orlando is considering extending its commuter rail line to Cocoa Beach. are you likely or unlikely to ride the train at least one day a week?
- did you find the sneakers comfortable or uncomfortable? why?
- now that you have tasted version A of the concept energy drink, did you find it to be sweet or unsweet?

Question 18

what is the average length of focus groups today?

Answer 18

the average length of focus groups today is about 90 minutes

Question 19

what are the advantages of longer focus groups?

Answer 19

longer focus groups (2 hours or more) allow managers to accomplish more in a single session and encourage greater participant involvement and extensive interaction

Question 20

how does the number of questions in the discussion guide impact the depth of coverage and group interactions?

Answer 20

• the number of questions in the discussion guide is often excessive, leading to shallow coverage and limited group interactions
• more questions and less time result in superficial responses resembling survey sound bites
• fewer questions and more time create an environment for respondents to elaborate on their answers and allow moderators to probe effectively
• a relaxed, natural, and humanistic pace is achieved with fewer questions and more time in focus groups

Question 21

what is an instant analysis?

Answer 21

instant analysis: the moderator debriefing, offering a forum for brainstorming by the moderator and client observers

Question 22

list the pros of instant analysis (moderator debriefing)

Answer 22

pros of instant analysis include:
- combines the knowledge of marketing specialists and the moderator
- allows the client to hear and react to the moderator’s initial perceptions
- generates new ideas and implications in a brainstorming environment
- harnesses heightened awareness and excitement of the moment

Question 23

list the cons of instant analysis (moderator debriefing)

Answer 23

cons of instant analysis include:
- may bias future analysis due to quick, uninformed commentary
- influenced by recency and selective recall
- limits the moderator’s ability to hear all that was said in a less involved state
- the moderator’s opinion may change after reviewing the groups

Question 24

focus group trends include what 2 things?

Answer 24

• online and mobile groups
• focus group panels

Question 25

list the key advantages of focus group panels

Answer 25

• consumer panels can be significantly less expensive versus recruiting the same number of separate groups over the same time period
• a summary is sufficient
• companies appreciate the discipline that consumer panels can impose in the process

Question 26

list the advantages of focus groups

Answer 26

• stimulate new ideas and thoughts through interactions among respondents
• group pressure helps keep thinking realistic
• provides firsthand consumer information in a shorter time and more interesting way than individual interviews
• opportunity to observe customers or prospects through one-way mirrors, video feeds, or online
• can be executed more quickly than many other research techniques
• findings tend to be easier to understand and have immediate impact

Question 27

list the disadvantages of focus groups

Answer 27

• immediacy and apparent understandability of findings can lead to misleading conclusions
• strong appeal to quick, simple answers may overshadow the need for deeper analysis
• focus group feedback may not be representative of the entire population
• requires follow-up with quantitative studies for comprehensive insights
• moderator’s style and behavior can influence responses and introduce bias
• respondents’ behaviors, such as introversion or dominance, can impact group dynamics and validity of responses

Question 28

what are individual depth interviews (IDI)?

Answer 28

individual depth interviews (IDIs): one-on-one interviews that probe and elicit detailed answers to questions, often using nondirective techniques to uncover hidden motivations

IDIs are the second most popular form of qualitative research

Question 29

list the advantages of depth interviews over focus groups

Answer 29

• elimination of group pressure allows for more honest and authentic responses
• one-on-one situation makes the respondent feel valued and important
• heightened state of awareness and constant interaction with the interviewer
• longer duration encourages the revelation of new information
• ability to probe at length and uncover underlying feelings and motivations
• flexibility to explore tangential issues and improvised questioning
• closer proximity allows for better observation of nonverbal feedback
• obtaining a singular viewpoint without influence from others
• conducted anywhere, not limited to focus group facilities
• suitable for sensitive or highly personal topics.
• allows in-depth exploration of individual decision processes and reactions
• enables analysis of nonverbal communication cues

Question 30

what are the disadvantages of depth interviews relative to focus groups?

Answer 30

• higher total cost compared to focus groups
• limited client involvement due to the extensive duration of depth interviews
• moderators can cover less ground in a day compared to focus groups
• focus groups are better for exploring consensus, debate, and disparate views
• leverages group dynamics for unique reactions and discussions

Question 31

list some classic applications of depth interviews

Answer 31

• communication checks (e.g., review of print, mobile, website, radio, or TV advertisements or other written materials)
• sensory evaluations (e.g., reactions to varied formulations for deodorants or hand lotions, sniff tests for new perfumes, or taste tests for a new frosting)
• exploratory research (e.g., defining baseline understanding or a product, service, or idea)
• new product development, prototype stage
• packaging or usage research (e.g., when clients want to “mirror” personal experience and obtain key language descriptors)

Question 32

what is a variation of the depth interview?

Answer 32

variation of depth intervie: customer care research (CCR)

Question 33

what’s the basic idea of customer care research (CCR)?

Answer 33

the basic idea is to use depth interviewing to understand the dynamics of the purchase process

Question 34

what are the 7 questions that make up the basis for CCR?

Answer 34

1. what started you on the road to making this purchase?
2. why did you make this purchase now?
3. what was the hardest part of this process? Was there any point where you got stuck?
4. when and how did you decide the price was acceptable?
5. is there someone else with whom I should talk to get more of the story behind this purchase?
6. if you’ve purchased this product before, how does the story of your last purchase differ from this one?
7. at what point did you decide you trusted this organization and this person to work with in your best interests?

Question 35

what is hermeneutic research?

Answer 35

hermeneutic research: research that focuses on interpretation through conversations

Question 36

define the Delphi method

Answer 36

Delphi method: rounds of individual data collection from knowledgeable people results are summarized and returned to the “participants for further refinement”

Question 37

what is a projective test?

Answer 37

projective test: a technique for tapping respondents’ deepest feelings by having them project those feelings into an unstructured situation

Question 38

in the projective test, consumers may not tell us everything that influences the, what are the 3 obstacles that stand in the way?

Answer 38

1. respondents may be unconscious or unaware of a particular influence
2. they may be aware of an influence, but feel it is too personal or socially undesirable to admit (e.g., prestige image or racial bias)
3. they may be aware that they perceive a product a particular way, but they may not bother to mention this because, in their view, it is not a logical, rational reason for buying or not buying the product. Some doctors, for example, are adamant that what they prescribe has nothing to do with the sound of a drug’s name or the attractiveness of the manufacturer’s logo, and is based solely on decision-making factors such as research findings, clinical experience, and patient compliance

Question 39

what are the most common forms of projective techniques used in marketing research?

Answer 39

• word association tests
• sentence and story completion tests
• cartoon tests
• photo sorts
• consumer drawings
• storytelling
• third-person techniques

Question 40

what are word association tests?

Answer 40

word association tests: a projective test in which the interviewer says a word and the respondent must mention the first thing that comes to mind

Question 41

define analogies

Answer 41

analogy: drawing a comparison between 2 items in terms of their similarities

Question 42

what are sentence and story completion tests?

Answer 42

sentence and story completion tests: a projective test in which respondents complete sentences or stories in their own words

eg.
1. best buy is…
2. the people who shop at best buy are…
3. best buy should really…
4. i don’t understand why best buy doesn’t…

Question 43

define a cartoon test

Answer 43

cartoon test: a projective test in which the respondent fills in the dialogue of one of two characters in a cartoon

Question 44

what is storytelling?

Answer 44

storytelling: a projective technique in which respondents are required to tell stories about their experiences, with a company or product, for example, also known as the ‘metaphor technique’

Question 45

define the third-person technique

Answer 45

third-person technique: a projective technique in which the interviewer learns about respondents’ feelings by asking them to answer for a third party, such as “your neighbour” or “most people”